The invention relates to the distribution of articles from a conveyor system.
At a present time articles are distributed or sorted by the systems that employ a multitude of diverting or ejecting devices located along the conveyor which direct the desired articles into designated collection containers. Such systems, usually custom made for predefined articles and sizes of collecting containers are very expensive. Due to the cost only the larger distribution companies can afford this type of automation.
In case of distributing articles in groups of the same type, where sorting the articles of various type is not a required function, such an expensive and complex system may be replaced with a simpler, more economic one. The present invention utilizes one mobile device with one or two ejectors mounted on it, capable of removing the required number of distributed articles from a conveyor sequentially into container in designated collection zones located along the conveyor.
The general idea of the invention is a method of distributing articles placed on the conveyor using a mobile apparatus able to move along or upon a conveyor and able to remove the articles from the conveyor into containers located in designated discharge zones.
Objects and Advantages: Several objects and advantages of the invention are: The ability to build extremely cost effective distributing conveyor systems due to the usage of only one mobile device to remove articles from the conveyor.
The ability to build flexible distributing conveyor systems permitting a wide range of articles and collection container sizes, due to software definable length and location of the collection zones.
The ability to upgrade existing conveyor systems by converting them to distributing conveyor systems.